Called to the Bar: May, 2003 (British Columbia)
PRACTICE
Lee is privileged to work with indigenous governments, both elected and hereditary, to define the nature and scope of their rights to the use and management of traditional lands, waters and resources. In this context, she assists tribal leadership with governance capacity building, constitution, law and policy development, treaty positions, referral policies, traditional, land and marine use plans. She has specialized skills in the development and implementation of precedent setting multi-party consultation processes, the negotiation of treaties, shared jurisdiction agreements and the settlement of historic and modern land and resource use issues with corporations, municipal, provincial and federal government ministries.
BACKGROUND
Born and raised in Vancouver and Mission, British Columbia, Lee's aboriginal ancestry is Metis-Cree from Sandy Bay, Saskatchewan where her father, Louis Schmidt was born.
Earlier in her career, she administered and facilitated native adult education and human resource development programming for aboriginal individuals, organizations and communities. Lee gained early admission to law school, following undergraduate studies majoring in history and a Rotary International academic-year scholarship to study in South Africa. Upon graduating from the UBC Faculty of Law in 2002, Lee was honoured to receive the inaugural Carole T. Corcoran Memorial Award in Law.
In 2006 Lee was appointed to the Equity and Diversity Committee of the Law Society of British Columbia. She is on faculty for the Aboriginal Leadership and Management Program of the Banff Centre in Banff, Alberta.
She is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia, the Canadian Bar Association and the Indigenous Bar Association.
Publications and Speaking Engagements
Speaker
- Speaker Panel, Student Day, Indigenous Bar Association Conference, Victoria, Oct. 2007,
Topic: What to expect from private practice: priorities & balance - Aboriginal Jurisprudence Conference, "A Shared Vision", Winnipeg June 2006 Topic: Should we take the government to court?
- Insight 2nd Annual Western Canada Aboriginal Law Forum, Vancouver May 2006
Topic: Aboriginal perspective and strategies of using litigation and the implementation of court-ordered consultation processes - UBC First Nations Legal Studies Program, Vancouver January 2006
Topic: Aboriginal Law Practice, Reflections & Advice for Aboriginal Law Students - EAGLE (Environmental-Aboriginal Guardianship Through Law and Education), "Building on the TFL 39 Experience" An Educational Forum, Vancouver November 2005.
Topic: Advantages, Disadvantages & Strategies of Using Litigation for Consultation & Implementing Court Ordered Consultation Processes - UBC First Nations Legal Studies Program, Vancouver November 2005, "Law School In a Day".
Topic: Reflections & Advice on Law School Experience - National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, Vancouver 2004, "Blue Print for the Future Career Day".
Topic: BCSC Taku Decision Moot with Jean Teillet and Retired Judge Alfred Scow - Canadian Race Relations Foundation, Vancouver, 2000.
Topic: Centre for International Indigenous Legal Studies, UBC, Faculty of Law
Co-Author
- Buffalo Mountain Drum, Aboriginal Leadership & Management Programs at the Banff Centre, 2007-2008 Magazine, with Bernadette Scharpen. "Strategic Planning & Inspired Leadership"
- Pacific Business and Law Institute Conference, "New Directions: Canada's Responsibility for Aboriginal Peoples", Ottawa 2004, with P. Grant. "Should s. 91(24) Lands Remain in Place in Post-Treaty British Columbia"
- Estey Centre Conference, Saskatoon, May 27-9, 2001 with C.M. Gastle. "Rapporteur's Report, Impact of NAFTA on Aboriginal Business in North America"
- BC Human Rights Commission publication, Vancouver 2001 with Linda Mattson. "Barriers to Equal Education for Aboriginal Learners: A Review of the Literature, BCHRC"
EDUCATION
University of British Columbia, 2002, LL.B.
University of Victoria, 1999, Dip. Public Sector Management
University College of the Okanagan, 1997, Dip. Native Adult Instructor
